Ironing machine support



March 16, 1943. H. A.'SP ERLIC H IRONING MACHINE SUPPORT Filed Nov. 29, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR.

BY HERMAN A.SPERLIOH swk wfl;

ATTORNEYS H. A. SPERLICH IRONING MACHINE SUPPORT March 16, 1943.

Filed NOV. 29, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.5.

FIG.3.

INVENTOR. HERMAN A.5PERLICH ATTORNEYS Patented Mar. 16, 1943.

UNlTED STATES PTENT FFEQE 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to folding supports for machines and is designed particularly for the support of home ironing machines, though not limited to use with such machines.

Among the objects of the invention is a support to which the machine may be secured and which, when the machine is idle, will occupy much less floor space.

Another object is a support in which the overall height when folded is not greater than in unfolded condition.

Another object is a support in which the machine supporting platform is rotated from the horizontal to the vertical and at the same time moved downward so that the upward end is considerably lower than if rotated only.

Still other objects will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon reference to the following description and the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a rearelevation with the frame member in partial section and showing the parts in working position.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the parts in folded or idle" position.

Figure 3 is a section on line 3-3 of Figure 1 and also showing a section through a part of the base member.

Figure 4 is a perspective view from the rear showing the unfolded support with an ironing machine; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail of the construction.

In the drawings, thereis shown at If] a suitable base provided with casters II and cut away in front as at |2 to provide foot space.

At the back of the base member is fixed an upright channel shaped frame member l5 open toward the front and closed at the upper end. This frame member l5 supports, through means to be described, a platform It carrying an ironing machine II.

In the ironing machine shown, the ironer and platform are a unit, but it is obvious that any suitable platform may be used and some other form of machine mounted thereon, and in the following description the platform |6 will be referred to as though a separate element.

In the device as shown, the platform It is fixed to a partially circular plate 20 with an intervening guard or cover plate 2|, the latter being used to prevent accidental access by the operator or .work to the mechanism lying within the open front member |5 when the support is in either folded or unfolded position.

At the center of the plate 20 is fixed a short post or shaft 25 which extends through the upper portion of a carriage designated as a whole by the numeral 25. This carriage 26 consists of an upper and a lower tra -like cross member, 26a and 2619, respectively, fixed to a vertically extending channel member 21. This latter is provided with stepped side flanges of which the outer risers extend alongside of the flanges of members 26a and 25b but are spaced therefrom. The shaft 25 passes through the bottoms of both members,

260. and 21, and is rotatable therein.

Between the side flanges of channel 21 and carriage member 26a and 261) are a plurality of rollers 32 mounted in said flanges and coacting with a pair of tracks 32a fixed vertically to the side flanges of frame member I5. A second set of rollers 33 is also carried by the carriage member 21 and arranged angularly as shown so as to coact with the outer part of plate 20. Also fixed to plate 29 is a gear segment 40, the toothed edge of which is concentric with shaft 25 and in position. to coact with a rack 4| formed in one side wall of frame member I5, so that when the platform l6 and plate 25 are rotated from the horizontal to the vertical position or vice versa, shaft 25 moves up and down through the rack and pinion action.

Since the weight of the platform I5 and whatever load it may carry is likely to be considerable, this is counterpoised by a strong compression spring carried upon a telescoping rod 5| between a fixed abutment 52 carried thereby, and an abutment 53 fixed near the upper end of the rod. The lower end of the telescoping rod 5| rests in, and is maintained against Swinging by, a V-shaped stirrup 5|a fixed to the carriage 26.

This rod 5| is pivotally connected through a short link 55 to an arm 55 fixed to plate 20, and movement of these parts being controlled by the action of a second link til pivoted at one end to rod 5| coaxially with link 55 and at its other end to carriage 26 above shaft 25. These pivot points and the shaft 25 are so located that when the platform It is in vertical position, the spring is at maximum compression and the toggle, formed by rod 5| and link 60, is approximately but not quite straight, the same being true of the links when the platform is in horizontal position.

The positions of the links are shown best in Figure 5, the dotted line position being the down or vertical platform position.

In the operation of the device, as the platform It is rotated, the rack and pinion 4i1-5 of course will move the parts vertically, the shaft 25 moving with the carriage 26, the rollers 33 maintaining the plate 29 properly spaced, and the rollers 32 and 34 serving to guide the carriage 26.

While the spring 50 will maintain the platform in its horizontal position, it is preferred to arrange on plate 20 and frame l5 suitable catch means (not shown in detail) operable by a handle 62, so that there is no tendency for rotation due to improper weight distribution during operation of the machine.

Now having described the invention and the preferred embodiment thereof, it is to be understood that the foregoing is merely descriptive, reference being had to the appended claims to indicate the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an ironing machine support, a plate vertically arranged and secured to said machine, a

shaft fixed to said plate, a frame member, a carriage vertically movable therein and in which said shaft is rotatably mounted, a vertically arranged rack on said frame, a gear segment fixed to said plate and arranged to mesh Withsaid rack, and counterpoise means biased to cause rotation of said plate about said shaft as a center.

2. A support for machines of which the longest dimension is normally horizontal, said support comprising an upright frame member, means for mounting said machine .upon said member including a rotatable element carrying said machine, a gear segment fixed to said element, a vertical rack carried by said frame member and meshing with said segment, whereby said element when rotated will be moved vertically, guide means for said element during such movement, and a spring counterpoise for said element and machine.

3. In a support, a platform, a channeled frame member open toward said platform, a vertically movable carriage in said frame, a shaft fixed to said platform and rotatably mounted in said carriage, means for moving said shaft and thereby said carriage, said means actuable by rotation of said platform about said shaft as an axis, and a plurality of rollers carried by said carriage and adapted to guide said platform and said carriage when said shaft is moved.

4. In a support, a platform, a channeled frame member open toward said platform, a vertically movable carriage in said frame member, a plate fixed to said platform and having fixed thereto a shaft rotatably mounted in said carriage, means for moving said shaft and thereby said carriage, said means actuable by rotation of said platform about said shaft as an axis, and a plurality of rollers carried by said carriage and adapted to guide the latter in the frame member when the carriage is moved, and means carried by said carriage and tending to maintain said carriage in the upper portion of said frame.

5. In a support, a load carrying element, mounted for simultaneous rotative and vertical movement, counterpoise means including a spring movable vertically with said element and adapted to be compressed during said rotation and downward movement and thereby store energy to assist the reverse rotation and upward movement, and a toggle operatively connected to said element and said spring and arranged to be moved to substantially straight position as said spring is compressed and thereby aid in maintaining the said compression.

6. In a support in which the load-carrying element is constructed and arranged to be rotated and be simultaneously moved vertically, a stationary frame including a vertically arranged rack, said frame acting as a guide for said rotatable element in its vertical movement, a gear segment fixed to said rotatable element and meshing with said rack, and counterpoise means including a spring movable vertically with said element and adapted to be compressed during said rotation and downward movement, and thereby store energy to assist the reverse rotation and upward movement, and a toggle operatively connected to said element and said sprin and arranged to be moved to substantially straight position as said spring is compressed and thereby aid in maintaining the said compression.

HERMAN A. SPERLICH. 

